Readers have reacted with shock after a Northumbria Police officer was seen making a personal call on her mobile phone while driving — during a TV programme about road policing.

Northumbria Police say the officer, Dog Sergeant Julie Neve, was driving on a private access road leading up to Etal Lane police station when she made the call, which was broadcast on ITV’s Car Wars on Tuesday.

The road is not publicly accessible, which means she did not break the law.

But, in a statement, the force says it has a policy barring officers from making personal calls on handheld phones while driving.

Police bosses say they have spoken to Sergeant Neve about the incident, and she has donated the amount of a fixed penalty notice to the Brake road safety charity.

But many of you felt that, even if Sgt Neve’s call wasn’t illegal, it was still ‘shocking’ and ‘unacceptable’.

Police Officer talking on her mobile phone while driving on ITV's Car Wars

John Hill added: “It shouldn’t matter if she was on private land or not. Still driving whilst using a mobile phone.”

The three part series Car Wars features Northumbria Police’s Operation Dragoon team. The team regularly visits schools, colleges and events throughout the region giving advice on road safety and warning motorists not to use phones while in control of a vehicle.

Some of you said the footage made it more difficult for the force to ‘lead by example’ when urging people to stay off the phone in the car.

Ian Gowland added: “They ought to lead by example or at least some example....How else are the general public expected to accept this conduct?”